Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-06-17
A Rapidly Developing section
S8nta Monica.

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santa Monica.
1t is over a decade since Senator |
John P. Jones bought a three.quarter
interest in the rancho San Vic T.
Santa Monica. Indeed, it is SO long
ago that we have forgotten whether
or no the rancho Santa Monica was
comprehended in the purchase.
What we do know is, that shortly at
ter this enterprising Nevadan acquired
these broad acres-generally estimat-
ed at 81 ,OO0-he started out to build,
and completed that portion OF the Los
Angeles and Independence railway
which now stretches between Los
Angeles and Santa Monica. At that
time the then and present Senator
had a grea. deal of the fifteen mill
lions of minted gold dollars which he
had m ade in Crown Point and other
mining speculations. OF this large
residuu m of fabulous fortune Mr..
Jones invested quarter OF million
dollars in his land purchase, which
he still owns, three-quarters OF mill
lion in the Santa Monica railway and
at the Cajon Pass, which vested in
terests he afterwards sold to the
Southern Pacific Railway at a great
sacrifice. He also invested million
dollars at Panamint, near which his
Los Angeles and Independence Rail-
way was to find a temporary termi-
nus, and an equally large amount at
Kernville, also in Southern California.
The whirligig OF time has queer
changes. The poet says that every
thing is possible to the man that can
wait. To-day Senator Jones bids fair
to be recouped for all his outlays
in Southern California by the phe-
nomenal enhancement in values of
the San Vicente rancho. All who
know OF his matchless services to this
section will he glad to learn this.
To-day Santa Monica and South
Santa Monica, and all sections lying
adjacent either north or south-south
to Port Ballona and beyond-have
caught the trick OF advancing values,
on merit at that-merit long unap-
preciated but at last apparent. Great
changes have occurred in the country
living west of Santa Monica in the last
ten years, and more particularly in
the last two or three wears. The
portion of the city OF Los Angeles
trending that way has been character
lied by the most elegant and costly
improveme ents chronicled OF any por-
ton of our municipality. Passing the
city limits a series of splendid and
progressive new additions is encount"
cred, in which exquisite homes with
out mum ber have been, are being and
will be erected. Very shortly the
Electric Railway will be running al
most to the Half Way House, through
a succession of beautiful vineyards
and farms.
There is something delightful in the
way the provisions OF the HERALD
have been fulfilled as to that country
being ultimately converted into one
of the garden spots OF California.
Vineyards have everywhere encroach-
ed on farm lands to an astonishing
extent; and, in this so-called dry
year, the fields of waving grain, wheat
and barley, are sight to see. Much
OF the grain has been cut for hay,
but tens OF thousands of acres,
which will grow from fifteen
to thirty sacks to the acre,
can be deserted from the roadway.
Where the husbandman has not done
his work, the wild mustard has
forced its way up to height OF ten
feet and over, interspersed with lux
uriant volunteer crops of wild oats
and barley, that would be remunera-
tive il they could be reached by the
cleaner. No region OF Southern Cal
ifornia or of the world will be the
scene OF more varied or remunera-
tive vegetation than the San Vicente
ranch under the new era OF progress
and development which is upon this
section. The intermediate ranchos,
Los Bueyes, La Brea, FL Aqua de
los Rodeas, La Ballona. and others,
are also in the full career OF prosper
ity, appreciation and productiveness. |
The winsome town OF Santa Moni- |
ca itself is showing up superbly.
Since the completion of the Hotel
Arcadia the certainty that Santa
Monica is to be the great watering
place of the Pacific Coast is borne in |
upon the mind, even OF the dullards. |
1t is a great thing for Los Angeles
county that we are enabled to say |
truthfully that this hotel, since the
burning of the Hotel Del Monte, is
the finest pleasure re-
sort on the Pacific Coast. 1t is abso-
lutely palatial in all its appointments, !